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Posted: 1/25/2003 5:06:33 PM EDT
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Please don't laugh as this is my first AR. Upon cleaning the bolt, I noticed that my firing pin does not seem to have a spring on it to keep it back until the hammer hits it. Is this correct? If it is, how does the forward motion of the bolt not slam the firing pin into the next shell and fire it??? Thank you! |
| The AR15 doesn't use a spring with the firing pin. There is a *slight* (read rare) chance of a "slam fire" where the firing pin sets off a round while chambering, so always point the weapon in a safe direction when you chamber a round. This isn't really a problem and I've never personally seen it happen, but it's been known to apparently. Just make sure your firing pin doesn't protrude too much into the bolt face. You will also notice a very slight dimple on the primer if you chamber and extract a round. This is also normal because of the free-floating pin. |
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Thanks A_G. I'm learning something new everytime I look at my gun! I am really suprised at how "simple" the design is. (I guess that is important for a battle rifle) Prior to getting my first AR, I was really intimidated by looking at the parts schematics but it is all starting to make sense (slowly). Thanks again! |
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The firing pin doesn't have a spring. The AR uses a free-floating firing pin system. The firing pin doesn't have QUITE enough momentum to strike the primer hard enough to fire the cartridge The firing pin was redesigned by Colt years back by thinning the head of the firing pin to reduce the mass and inertia. Edited to add: A_G types faster than I do... what he said... |
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